This invention relates to devices for counting and timing and, more particularly, to devices for counting and timing repetitions or laps in an athletic activity.
Devices for counting and timing repetitions or laps in an athletic activity fall into three broad categories:
(1) devices that are permanently fixed to, e.g., starting blocks or a pool wall such as the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,214; PA1 (2) devices which are portable and placed for use by a participant in the activity at an appropriate location such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,369; and PA1 (3) devices which are worn by the participant and are activated by him or her, or which activate automatically, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,105.
There are problems and limitations with all of these devices. Fixed devices are costly and must be maintained by individuals other than the athletic participant. Also, such devices generally cannot be used by more than one person at a time, a problem which, for recreational swimmers, is significant because they usually share lanes with other swimmers.
Although portable devices are individually maintained and located by the participant, they must be touched to register the completion of a lap or repetition. Thus, the participant's natural athletic motion must be altered to bring a portion of his or her body into contact with a target area on the device. This altered motion is particularly significant for swimmers executing a "flip turn" because their feet must contact the target area while simultaneously executing the turn under water. Also, the target area may be blocked by other swimmers or runners, or other swimmers or runners may accidentally contact the target area. These devices also require time to set up and may be stolen easily.
Devices worn by the participant also can interrupt natural athletic motion because after each lap or repetition, the participant must activate the device, generally by pushing a button or taking some other affirmative action. Generally, such devices are worn on the wrist, and the opposite hand is used to depress the button. This action is disruptive, and the participant often forgets to push the button after completing a repetition. Although devices which activate automatically through detecting a change in direction have been disclosed, they are inaccurate and can be activated inadvertently by turning the body. Also, when used for swimming, the completion of a lap is not recorded when the participant touches the pool wall but rather only after a change in direction. For an event in which there is no change in direction, the lap's completion is not recorded at all. Also, a swimmer cannot wear such a device on his or her wrist because the natural motion of a stroke registers the completion of a lap. Although such a device could be fixed to the swimmer's goggles with the display portion mounted in the lens, viewing of the display is difficult, especially for swimmers whose vision requires correction.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for counting and timing repetitions or laps in an athletic activity which overcomes or greatly alleviates the foregoing problems and shortcomings of prior devices.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, accurate device for counting and timing repetitions or laps which is portable and can be worn by an athletic participant.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for counting and timing repetitions or laps which can be activated by the participant without interrupting his or her natural athletic activity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for counting and timing repetitions or laps which can be worn comfortably on the hand or foot, provides little resistance to air or water and which can be triggered on any fixed object during the natural motion of an athletic activity, such as swimming or running, without the necessity of touching or contacting a specific target area.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device for counting or timing repetitions or laps which can be used easily and effectively during an athletic activity with other participants and which does not require the involvement of other individuals to set up or maintain.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a device for counting or timing repetitions or laps which is highly accurate, versatile and does not require the participant to change direction, or to locate and touch a specific part or area on the device, to register the completion of a lap or repetition, or to initiate or terminate timing.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a device for counting or timing repetitions or laps which can calculate and clearly display to the participant the number of repetitions or laps completed, total distance traveled, time to complete each repetition or lap, average repetition or lap time, average speed, total elapsed time, real time, and best repetition or lap time.
It is an object of the invention to provide a device for counting and timing repetitions or laps which is easily worn and read by the participant.